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United Iroquois States of the Free East
Common Names: Vinland, Iroquois Nation, The UIS Government: Constitutional Republic Population: 51,000,000 Demographics: 40% Metis (White/Native mixed), 20% Native, 35% White, 5% Other Capital City: Toronto, Ontario Largest City: New Amsterdam, Seneca (New York City, New York) Official Language: None National Languae: Vinnish Other Languages: Seneca, English, Mohawk, French, Swedish, Wyandot, Algonquin. Religions: The Great Spirit, Protestant Christian, Other Native Faiths, Catholic Christianity, Judaism President: Theodore Roosevelt Executive Branch: The President is the single most powerful person in the UIS. The President is elected by the people and serves a 5 year term before coming up for election again. There is no limit to how many terms a President can hold, though the precedent was set at two terms. Legislature: A Bicameral Congress makes up the legislature, with one seated by state population and the other seated with three Congressmen per state. Judiciary: Perhaps the most powerful of the branches of government. The Judiciary is led by 11 Judges who help form laws and determine the constitutionality of other laws. Major Political Parties: The Republican Party (Liberal Centrist), The Tribal Party (Conservative Centrist) Minor Political Parties: '''The United Lakes Party (Regionalist), The Native Party (Far-Right), The Hope Party (Far-Right), The Socialist Party (Far-Left), The Working Party (Far-Left). '''Language History Vinnish is the result of hundreds of years of dozens of languages mixing with one another. Old Vinnish first began to be spoken in the 1600's with the resurgence of Nordic culture in Vinland. Taking a Germanic base, the language was picked up by many of the English and Swedish settlers who traded regularly with the Vinlanders. Which caused a change in the written word from a runic base to a latin base. Interacting more and more with both English and the various Iroquoian languages, Vinnish began to shift, becoming more synthetic like English as grammar words were added and word endings were lost. The vocabulary of Vinnish, taking from a European and Iroquoian base, was enormous. By 1810 Vinnish was the premier language of a country that was quickly becoming more and more unified. Efforts to make the language the Offical language of the country met stiff resistance from all sides, but that did not keep the language from growing into greater prominence and becoming the lingua franca of the United Iroquois States. Political Parties The Republican Party: Formed with the Republic, the Republican Party is generally known as the party of the immigrants. Being a major political party they tend to include centrist ideas in their doctrine, but generally they lean more towards liberal ideologies. The New England States and the Vinlands generally swing towards Repbulicans The Tribal Party: The second real opposition to the Republican Party, the Tribal party has not gone nearly as far Right as the Native Party has, and now being a major party, has included many centrist ideas in their doctrine, they generally lean toward more Conservative ideologies however. Ontario, Pennsylvania, Manitoba, Ohio, and Indiana, tend to swing toward Tribals. The United Lakes Party: The United Lakes party has one very simple goal to achieve. Re-unite the Great Lakes under one nation, no matter how it must be done. After all, it has not yet been 100 years since the United Republics broke away, splitting the Great Lakes between two nations. The success of the United Lakes Party varies from year to year, sometimes current events launch a springboard for their ideals, other years some wonder if they will continue on as a party at all. Currently they are in a middling year The Native Party'':' The second party founded, the Native Party was once a major political movement that endeavored to restrain the Federal government to the point of near Confederacy. As time went on, the Native Party grew less popular and their ideals became more radicalized until they lost a great deal of their power. Currently the Native Party espouses a return to Confederacy and the adoption of The Great Spirit as the official religion of the nation. The Party has maintained a steady decline however, with only a few seats left in the Senate. '''The Hope Party:' Started by colonists fleeing religious oppression in Europe, the Hope Party is a far right movement with the specific goal of turning the United Iroquois States into a Christian nation with Protestant Christianity as the Official Relgion (The party itself has yet to settle exactly which sect of Protestant Christianity it wants). The Hope Party is experiencing a small boom of support that they are using to spread their message. The Socialist Party: Formed shortly before the Brother's War, the Socialist Party espouses a movement towards socialism in the government as explained by Karl Marx. The message has found a good deal of support in the Industrialized portions of the country as the working class continued to grumble against their paymasters. The Socialist Party is an up and comer in the UIS, with its own propaganda claiming it will one day soon topple the Republican Party. Thus far they are far from that goal however. '''The Working Party:' 'One would think the Working Party and the Socialist Party would get along, that would be very wrong. The Working Party is in the majority made up of skilled workers with good salaries and nice benefits. They aren't at the top however, and this pushes them towards a desire for greater support for themselves. The Working Party has remained fairly stable since their inception only 30 years ago. '''History' The United Iroquois States of the Free East have grown to prominence over the last few hundred years, defeating some of the great European powers in order to earn their place in the world. Their story starts in an odd place however, Greenland. Leif Ericsson, the son of famous explorer Eric the Red, discovered a land he called Vinland in 1004. By 1006 the first colony created by no more than 40 families was founded and for a year it was uncertain whether the colony would survive. But with some assistance from the native population, called Skræling by the colonists, the colony survived and thrived. After that first year, the population in Vinland began to expand rapidly as more colonists came across the ocean looking for green pastures and freedom from the Danish king. They brought with them many things, steel, domesticated animals. By 1060 the colonists were beginning to explore further South and encountering more and more native tribes, trading steel weapons and other goods for native goods and raiding small communities. Fifty years later is the first recorded meeting between Vinlanders and the tribes of the Algonquin. The meeting is a little frosty. It is also at this point in time where the colonists start to become more like the natives. Nordic starts to become less common, and cases of intercultural marriage become more frequent. During this time, the native tribes of the Northeast suffer from a horrible affliction of diseases after sustained contact with the Nordic colonies. Estimates say over half of the natives died over a period of 100 years. After centuries of cross-Atlantic travel, a chilling Northern Europe begins to make the journey more hazardous, and Greenland less hospitable to life. Many Greenlanders move away from the increasingly colder winters and come to Vinland to create a new life for themselves. By 1300 the viking colony of Greenland was completely abandoned and all contact between Vinland and Europe was lost. Without contact from Europe, the steady trend towards becoming more native increased drastically within the Vinland colony as inter-cultural marriages became more and more prevalent and Norse began to be subsumed by the native languages. For the entirety of the colony's existence it had been without a single ruler. In 1386, Einar Egilson began a bloody conquest, both of the other Vinland towns and the local native population. Within 9 years, Einar Frostblood, as he had come to be called in the intervening time, had unified the Vinland colony under one ruler. His rule included most of the coastal lands down into Delaware territory, and scouting parties had ranged even further South. They had achieved sustained contact with a number of the native tribes, who had started their recovery from the plagues that had struck them. In 1413, fearing the power of the unified Vinland colony a group of five Iroquoian tribes, led by the Great Peacemaker, Deganwidah, and Hiawatha form the Iroquois Confederacy. The Iroquois have learned some of the methods of the Vinlanders, including the use of large domesticated animals and working iron. In 1420, Einar Egilson begins a war against the Algonquin tribes to bring them and their land under his control. It is a war he will not live to see the end of, as he dies in 1424. His son, Snorri Einarson continues his father's war to success. This not only brings the Algonquin tribes under the control of Vinland, it cements the reign of kings that Einar began. Not to be outdone, the Iroquois began their own wars of conquest, crushing the Huron and Susquehanna tribes and adding them to the Confederacy in 1462 and 1510 respectively. In 1534, the French send explorer Jacques Cartier to map out the new continent in an attempt to find a way to China. During his mission he encounters the Vinlanders. He does not realize the significance of his find however. With nearly six centuries of interbreeding and little to no contact with the European continent, the Vinlanders have for the most part gone native. They bear a closer resemblance to the natives of America and their language bears little resemblance to Old Norse. In fact, they refer to themselves as the Wabanibi tribe. Seventy years later, after several failed attempts, the French finally managed to settle a permanent colony on the continent. The Wabanibi took an insult from this and relations between the two began to sink. Just two years later, in 1607, the colony of Jamestown was founded. Outside of Wabanibi control, they simply see this as a chance to grow in power. Just a year later, Quebec is founded and the enraged Wabanibi demand compensation. The French government is not impressed and even less swayed by the arguments of the native tribe and refuse. The Wabanibi then declare war upon the French colonies, starting the first French-Indian War. The war goes poorly for the Wabanibi French guns and their alliance with the Iroquois, who are more than eager to beat back the powerful Wabanibi. After two years of fighting, the Wabanibi sue for peace and France accepts, heaping conditions upon the beaten Wabanibi. The tribe loses the claims to large chunks of land and suffers under abysmal trade rulings. The victorious Iroquois gain the Mohican tribe to their Confederacy. When Plymouth colony was founded in 1620, the Wabanibi, still licking their wounds from the beating the French gave to them, sold the rights to the land for what they could. Using the money from the deal to further advance themselves technologically. They would not be unprepared the next time. They swore it. Just six years later, the Dutch founded New Amsterdam and once again the Wabanibi sold off the land for money to fill their coffers. The money put to good use, the Wabanibi went to war with their long-time rivals, the Iroquois. Valiant warriors on both sides fell and the Great Native War raged from 1630 to 1638. The various European powers fueled both sides of this war, more than eager to see the two great Native tribes fall so they could more easily take the land that the two claimed. Canassatego, an Onondoga Chieftain, and Askuwheteau Sunkitchi, the Chief of the Wabanibi, begin peace talks in 1638. Both men understand that they are being used by the Europeans and work tirelessly to unite the Iroquois and the Wabanibi. Despite losses, many Wabanibi are against the plan. In 1638, the Swedes come to a realization after learning Wabanibi mythology and seeing their ancient sites and treasures. They realize that the Wabanibi tribe are the Vinland colony, placed there by Icelandic settlers so long ago. The Swedes immediately lay claim to the Wabanibi tribe as a colony. Askuwheteau Sunkitchi is wary about the move, but having just finished his war against the Iroquois, and having some interest in seeing what all this talk of them being a colony is, does not speak against the idea. A wave of Nordic culture and Swedish colonists then begin to flood into Wabanibi territory. The Wabanibi are cautious at first, but then quickly begin to devour the information, causing great shifts in their society. Talk of alliance with the Iroquois comes to a screeching halt for fifteen years Askuwheteau is patient however. This patience pays off when, in 1652 the Swedes begin demanding taxes from their colony on the New World. This was the moment the leader of the Wabanibi had been waiting for. Moving quickly, Askuwheteau used the sudden public outcry to join the Iroquois Confederacy to assure security against the growing European threat. The Wabanibi declare war against the Swedes, declaring their independence from them and for three years the Weregild War rages in the Americas. During this time, enterprising natives who had taken to calling themselves Vinlanders once again would constantly harass the Swedish crown with letters that demanded payment for the loss of a loved one. An ancient Viking tradition called Weregild. Eventually the war grew too costly for the Swedish crown and the Treaty of Trenton was signed, guaranteeing the independence of the Wabanibi, or Vinland, from Sweden. The Delaware tribe was also indoctrinated into the Iroquois Confederacy. With that out of the way, both the Iroquois and the Wabanibi went about testing one another and their new alliance, uncertain exactly how to take the matter. Askuwheteau Sunkitchi, always an ardent Nativist, died in 1659. Just ten years later, the Wabanibi Tribe would rename itself as Vinland. The alliance between Vinland and the Iroquois endured against all odds however, and the strength of the Vinlanders and the Iroquois suddenly became a credible threat to any European interference. The colony of New Amsterdam, fearing the constantly encroaching Iroquois threat, was surrendered to the Iroquois shortly after. Several colonists decide to stay with their home and be inducted into Vinland, causing a great influx of colonists, just as some Swedes had decided to stay as well. In 1678, the French pushed further West with the foundation of Fort Niagara. The Iroquois, their one time allies, were driven to a rage by this action, stirred no doubt by the grudge of Vinland. That same year the Second French-Indian War begins. During the first few years, it looks as though this war will go much the same way as the First French-Indian War. But during this time the Iroquois begin to manufacture their own guns. Though the various tribes cannot match the output of France, they do not need to ship their weapons and men thousands of miles across treacherous seas. Eventually the tide of the battle begins to turn and the French sue for peace. At the Treaty of Montreal in 1683 the French agreed to acknowledge the current boundaries of the Iroquois Confederation and not expand their territory any further into Iroquois lands. Five years later, still running on the adrenaline of their defeat of the French and facing worsening relations with the English as they continue to push into Iroquois held lands, the Iroquois declare war against England in 1688. For several years it looks like the greater population density of the Virginias and New England will force the less unified Iroquois back. When the War of English Succession ignites in Europe in 1692, England quickly finds it no longer has the resources to fight the Iroquois in the Americas. The bloody fighting continues for four more years before it finally begins to taper off. Two years of skirmishing continues before England finally relents and in the Treaty of Boston in 1698 grants their New England colonies to Vinland. Though relations between the English colonists and the Iroquois are strained and at times violent, few colonists return to England for fear of the war that continues to rage there. Two years later, when the War of English Succession comes to an end, the Iroquois lay claim to Northeast America in a bold move. The exhausted Europeans are in little condition to contest the claims of the Iroquois. Rather than submit to Iroquois rule, many of the French settlers set sail for new land and many still free tribes find themselves under the de facto rule of the Iroquois. The rule of the Iroquois over the Northeast comes to blows in 1710 as the remaining free tribes band together against what they see as the Iroquois threat, and without any nearby powerful enemies the Iroquois Confederations begins to attack itself. The next 16 years are a bloody series of civil wars and wars of conquest that are afterwords referred to as the Unification Wars. By the end of the long series of conquests and civil wars, the Iroquois were left exhausted and bloody. But they had conquered the Northeast and had even begun a push into the Mideast. In addition, the new Iroquois Confederacy that emerged from the chaos was considerably more organized than before. No more could a single tribal leader act on his own without informing or consulting with the other leaders. The now unified Iroquois were far more capable of protecting their land, and as Europe devolved into chaos and anarchy, it became the nation to emigrate to. Only a few years after the Unification Wars ended, the European emigrants began to come into the country, fleeing the troubles of their own countries. In the Iroquois Confederacy they found a home of sorts. Many were absorbed by the Vinland tribe, though a few married into some of the other tribes that made up the now vast Confederacy that reached from the Atlantic to surround the Great Lakes Many however refused to give up their own culture in any way and found themselves on the outskirts of native society. As time passed this population began to grow more and more. Many great minds also arrived from Europe, increasing the pace at which the Confederacy turned into a power in it's own right. Universities and Academies began to spring up, bringing in more and more great minds from Europe. After over fifty years of immigration, the leaders of many of the tribes began to grow more and more fearful and paranoid, leading to greater and greater draconian measures to subdue immigration and properly bring Immigrants into society as members of a tribe. Things began to grow worse as more immigrants arrived and the laws became more harsh in what seemed like a never ending cycle. Eventually, a breaking point was reached. Immigrants, tired of being shunted off as second class citizens, rose up against their oppressors. The Tribes, terrified of what the immigrants meant to do to their way of life, fought against them. In 1810 hell broke loose as the Tribal War began. For two bloody years the conflict spread and grew in power and violence. Years of resentment turned into a flash fire that threatened to consume everything. Then, in 1812, two figures came to the forefront of the war as great leaders. The first was a man named Tecumseh, who would eventually lead the Western Tribes to break away from the Iroquois Confederacy to form their own nation. The second was a woman of Seneca and immigrant heritage. The mixed-blood daughter of a man known to the Europeans and Immigrants as “Red Jacket”. Robin Fleetfoot was the head of a movement which meant to unify the warring tribes and immigrants, her mixed parentage and strong ties to both cultures launched her into the forefront of the war in the East. By 1814, Tecumseh had already achieved his goal of independence and was busy solidifying the country he had helped found while Robin's own movement was still battling for control. After five bloody years of endless conflict, however, an accord was finally struck between the Republicans and the remaining factions. The United Iroquois States of the Free East was established. The changes introduced were radical. Tribes were disbanded as a political structure, the Federal government was given a much greater amount of power, and a new constitution was written, taking elements from the Iroquois Constitution as well as ideas from great European thinkers. Full suffrage was granted to all citizens (not including slaves) as well as many other sweeping changes. Facing no organized opposition, Robin Fleetfoot was swept into office to serve her first five year term as President. The Council, a group of seven judges, were selected to test the legality of law. The Congress was also formed and a nation was born. There was a great deal of work to be done as 5 years of Civil War had torn the nation apart and a great deal of work was needed to rebuild the country. Work had begun on a Canal which would link the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean during this time of rebuilding and in 1824 it was almost completed. President Fleetfoot arrived in Buffalo for an official inspection of the work that was being done. After the inspection, on her way to a dinner with several important figures in Buffalo, President Fleetfoot was confronted by a man and shot. She died three hours later at the age of 48. The entire nation went into mourning for the loss of their beloved leader. The canal was renamed in her honor as the Robin Canal, and Congress passed an amendment which stated no person under the age of 40 could run for President, thus cementing Robin Fleetfoot as the youngest President of the nation. The United Iroquois States continued to thrive despite the loss of their esteemed leader and grew into a mighty power again, but it found it was no longer alone on the continent. The United Republic had grown powerful, as had the Republic of Acadia. Border skirmishes would constantly flare up between the Iroquois and these two countries, both of which the Iroquois saw as break-away states. Inevitably one of those skirmishes erupted into a full scale war between the United Iroquois States and the United Republic. In 1859 the Brother's War broke out and proved itself to be bloodier than even the Tribal War. Many found themselves on the battlefield, fighting their brothers and sisters as people from the border often joined the other side of the conflict. By 1865 both sides have grown sick of the fighting and a Treaty confirming that the United Iroquois States officially recognizes the sovereignty of the United Republic. Just a few years after the end of the war, the Iroquoian government buys Greenland from the Danish crown. There are many who rather openly question the wisdom of this purchase, and to this day it is recorded as a completely pointless purchase. Four years later, in 1873, amid growing protest from other nations and from it's own citizens, the Iroquoian government abolishes slavery within its borders. By the time it was abolished, the practice of slavery had mostly died and was only held onto by a few diehards, so the political fallout for this is rather limited. Things remain rather quiet until 1898 when the United Iroquois States becomes involved in the war between the Bourbon Empire and the Roman Empire. In early February, an Iroquoian Armored Cruiser, securing the safety of merchant vessels, was docked just off of Port-Au-Prince. In the early hours of the morning suddenly seemed to explode and afterwords sank into the sea, killing 500 sailors. The Iroquoian government was outraged at the incident and put blame upon the shoulders of the Bourbon Empire, who were quick to point fingers at the Romans, who were themselves already busy trying to blame the Bourbons. Just a few months later the UIS declared war against the Bourbon Empire and their forces quickly landed on Hispanola, Puerto Rico, Panama, and Cuba, serving as the main forces with only some Roman assistance. During this time, Theodore Roosevelt was sent to Rome with a personal guard made of a portion of the Rough Riders, a group of all volunteers that he had helped to form himself. At the end of the war, the UIS are brought to the negotiating table as well and control of Hispanola, Puerto Rico, and Panama is turned over to them. This marks the first time that the UIS had directly involved itself in a European war. Five years after the end of the war, Theodore Roosevelt became President, still riding on his popularity from his time in the war and his grand charisma. As 1910 begins, Roosevelt is getting ready to begin his second term and there is talk of two grand canal projects in the works. Territorial Boundaries States Maine, Mohican (RL New Hampshire and Vermont), Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Delaware (RL New Jersey and Delaware), Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Seneca (RL New York), Manitoba, Ontario, Algonquin (RL Quebec), North Vinland (RL Newfoundland and Labrador), South Vinland (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island) Colonies Greenland, Nunavut, Puerto Rico, Hispanola, PanamaTh Military Army The UIS has a long and proud army tradition and boasts an immense army which comes to use not only on the military front but also the political front. UIS ambassadors are experts at using the size and reputation of the army as a negotiating point in their dealings with other countries. The UISA also claims to be the most mobile army in the world with a high concentration of Cavalry troops. They are also the only military in the world that allows women into the armed forces, though this is rare and they must under-go rigorous examination. The most recent major operation that the UISA has been involved in was the War of '98. So there are still many veterans of that war who have risen through the ranks since then to come to command positions. The Lakes Garrison Commander: Harald Tecumpseh Sveinson Sveinson is an old hand of the War of '98 and comes from a long line of commanding men. His father served in the Brother's War, his grandfather in the Tribal Wars. Several of his brothers and sisters are also serving in the military. None of them have come so far as to be appointed to the prestigious rank of Commander of the Lakes Garrisons. It is his duty to make certain the long border between the UIS and the UR is properly patrolled and determine how many troops are needed on the border. He serves as part general, part diplomat. While no law has been issued, it has been an understanding by the military and the President that a Commander of the Lakes Garrison cannot be a member of the United Lakes Party. Sveinson is quite a popular man both in the military and among the public and some wonder openly if perhaps the next time the presidential elections come up if he won't be on the ballot. 1st Indiana Commander: Joel Skylark The First Indiana is the army most under scrutiny by the UISA. Bordering both the Republic of Kentucky and the United Republics, they exist in a hotspot of conflict that could easily spark another war. Just 17 years ago, one such incident nearly ignited a second Brothers War before cooler heads on both sides and much mediation by the Pacificans and Acadians led to the problem being quenched. Since then though, the 1st Indiana has been watched carefully. Above all else her Commander undergoes a great deal of scrutiny. Joel Skylark is the twelth commander of the 1st Indiana since it became a Garrison army. Most commanders do not last long and quickly find themselves replaced by worrying politicians and other military commanders. General Skylark became commander just three years ago, replacing the longest lasting, and most popular, commander of the 1st Indiana, Harald Tecumpseh Sveinson. Skylark has quite a reputation to live up to, but so far his even temper has led to a decently successful career. 1st Ohio Commander: Hart Grunirson The 1st Ohio is the largest army in the UISA, while most Standing Armies average at 6 divisions, the 1st Ohio has 8 legions. No small part of this reason is because it is their job to stop any incursion from the West. If Indiana were to fall, it would be tragic, if Ohio were to fall it would be devestating. The 1st Ohio are perhaps the most drilled and organized army in the entire UISA, as their commander takes his job very seriously General Grunirson is another recent appointment as the last commander retired just 6 years ago, he is an old War Hound though. In his forties, Grunirson is a harsh taskmaster with his troops and does not allow for any excess, which is having mixed results on his army, who until now considered their job to be rather cushy as chances seemed poor that another war between the United Republics and the UIS. They still no better than to do more than grumble though as they are brought back into line. 1st Ontario Commander: Otto VanDuren If the 1st Ontario is to be believed, they have the hardest job in the UISA and get the least amount of respect. While this is somewhate overblown, they are scrutinized almost as much as the 1st Indiana while having only one more division and having to cover an infinitely longer border. Their first order of business has always been defense of Toronto, but they must also be able to respond quickly to any attack along the border. As such the majority of their forces are cavalry, and even then it is joked by other armies that the 1st Ontario has some Mongolian blood in them, as they never sleep in the same place twice. A joke which is very nearly true some times of the year. Otto VanDuren is a proud child of Immigrant parents. Unlike so many though, his parents were pre-eminantly wealthy, buying up land in Seneca and owning a fairly successful farm where their son found himself very put out. He joined the army as soon as possible and due to family connections achieved rank. He served with middling success in the War of '98 and was granted command of the 1st Ontario, a position he hates for he has never liked horses or the cold, something the 1st Ontario has in spades. 1st Manitoba Commander: Mark Treehigh The 1st Manitoba are likely the roughest, toughest, meanest sons-of-bitches in the Lakes Garrison. This is partly to do with having survived in the environment of Manitoba for years on end, and partly to do with their seven foot tall commander. Manitoba is a cold and unforgiving place and the men stationed there are always a little roudier than the other armies. They are the only army of the four that is at full strength currently, guarding both the border with the UR and the border with Pacifica, though they don't expect much trouble to come their way from either side. Mark Treehigh is a giant of a man who lives up to his olf family name in spades. His family have been military men for generations and come from a proud and rough tradition. He has now passed that tradition to his men, turning them into a fearsome fighting force that some worry are itching for a fight. Free Companies The Free Companies are a collection of the most elite troops of the UISA. They never operate on their own and are always attached to an army during operations, but they are free to be moved to various trouble spots as the Army requires. Unlike the regular armies, where each army is generally drawn from one state, the Free Companies are made of volunteers from all across the United Iroquois States. The Wolf Divisions Commander: Francis Cartier The Wolf Divisions are the oldest and most prestigious of the Free Companies, they claim to have first been founded during the war between the Iroquois and Vinland. They are highly disciplined and organized. During the Brother's War, the Wolf Divisions served with Sherman and were nearly destroyed in the battle where Sherman was killed. During the War of '98, the Wolf Divisions were the main reason for the fall of Puerto Rico, nearly single handedly defeating what resistance was there. Francis Cartier is a descendant of one of the few Acadian French families to decide to join the Iroquois rather than face exile and has served with the Wolf for both of those wars. Though at his advanced age he no longer fights on the front lines Cartier still has a sharp mind. Many wonder when the Old Wardog will finally retire or if he will remain an active soldier until his death. Either way, replacements are already being considered. The Einherjar Commander: Otetiani Brownbear The Einherjar have their roots in the Weregild War, though they were not formed in any meaningful sense until the Unification Wars. Unlike the other Free Companies, the Einherjar are made up almost entirely of Vinlanders, a fact they take a great deal of pride in. A fact that also makes Otetiani's meteoric rise to power within the Einherjar even more impressive. A native-born Ottowan, Otetiani served with extremely impressive valor during the War of '98 and wince then has risen to become the commander of the unit. The Einherjar are a more carefree bunch, likely the least organized of the Free Companies, though their current commander is doing his best to bring them back into line. The Thunderbirds Commander: Marcus Sibelli The Thunderbirds take their name from mythical beasts whose wings could level forests and whose eyes shot lightning. They like to think they live up to that reputation. Formed during the Second French-Indian War, the Thunderbirds have served with distinction since then. During the Brother's War it was the Thunderbirds that broke through Watie's line and led to the destruction of his army. More recently, during the War of '98, The Thunderbirds served to hold the line against crushing defeat at the First Battle of Havana. The Thunderbirds consider themselves the cream of the elite. Their commander, Marcus Sibelli, is the grandson of Roman immigrants. It was his cool head and stubborn tenacity that held the line at the First Battle of Havana and when the previous commander of the Theunderbirds was killed in battle, he found himself thrust into command of the elite unit during the rest of the war and upon its close he was given official control. The Rough Riders Commander: Freydis Sweetwater The Rough Riders are the newest Free Company, formed by President Roosevelt during the War of '98. The Free Companies can all boast of nearly 100% volunteer lists. The Rough Riders are the only unit that truly is completely made of volunteers. During the War of '98, the Rough Riders were the only military unit which experienced combat in Europe. 500 Rough Riders had been given guard duty to Theodore Roosevelt, who was serving as an observer. During this time, Roosevelt once took up his 500 guardsmen and, supported by Roman troops, managed to take a Bourbon held hill that had been giving the Romans a great deal of trouble. Immediately after the incident, Roosevelt and his guards were pulled from the front lines and once the war was done were all given awards for their valor. Freydis Sweetwater was one of those 500 soldiers. Lying about both her age and her gender to avoid having to get special dispensation to join the military, Freydis joined the Rough Riders. When her status as a woman was revealed, Roosevelt had by then been so impressed by the woman that he used his political power to retroactively grant her dispensation. In 1905, when Roosevelt became President and chose the commander of the Rough Riders to become his Secretary of War, Freydis' name found it's way to the top of the list and she found herself as the first woman to ever be in command of a Free Company. Since then, she has very much become the heart of the unit, which is still eager to prove itself to the other Free Companies. The UISA Standing Army The Standing Army is the United Iroquois States first line of offense. Slightly larger than a standard army unit, the Standing Army serve on the frontlines without fear. They are not elite units however, every three years a standing army is shuffled back into the Active Reserves and an army from the Active Reserves is brought up to the Standing Army and padded appropriately to serve properly as a member of the Standing Army. 1st Pennsylvania Commander: Bradley Treehigh 1st Massachusetts Commander: Scott Grumman 1st Delaware Commander: Sigurd Sweetwater 1st Seneca Commander: Erik Barber The UISA Active Reserves The Active Reserves are the brave men and women of the United Iroquois States that are not called upon every day to fight for their country. They go through extensive training and then are free to live their lives, save for one weekend a month where they must undergo training to maintain discipline. These Reservists are always ready for a fight, though at the moment it would take a month for these troops to be organized enough for a fight. 1st Mohican Commander: Albrecht Fiedler 2nd Ontario Commander: Erik Whitetail 1st Algonquin Commander: Auguste Autumn 1st Vinland Commander: Gerrid Heithson 1st Maryland Commander: Mark Cloudbreath 2nd Seneca Commander: Toby Cooper 1st Maine Commander: Nathan Goodman 2nd Vinland Commander: Ethan Frostblood 2nd Pennsylvania Commander: Edward Chapman 2nd Manitoba Commander: Chayton Breech 2nd Ohio Commander: Tiberia Tarpeius Seneca 2nd Indiana Commander: Brian Brownearth Free Regiments Colonial Troops Colonial Troops have a paradoxical roll in the military. They are a vital part of keeping control of the UIS's burgeoning colonial empire, but at the same time they often find themselves relegated to the sidelines while the standard armies take care of whatever business they have in the area. In addition, most of the colonial troops come from the only recently gained Caribbean islands and Panama, leaving some wariness between the colonists and their new masters. Greenland Puerto Rico Hispanola Panama The UISA Reservists Fortresses Many of the fortresses that currently dot the border of UIS held territory are not yet 50 years old. Since the Brother's War what fortresses were on the border have been rebuilt to better stand in a new sort of war. Fort Muncie, Indiana (Underground Fortress) 15 pts Fort Freemont, Ohio (Underground Fortress) 15 pts Fort Strathroy, Ontario (Reinforced Underground Fortress) 18 pts Fort Wharncliffe, Ontario (Polygonal Fortress) 12 pts Fort Thunder, Ontario (Polygonal Fortress) 12 pts Fort Carman, Manitoba (Polygonal Fortress) 12 pts Fort Washington, Maryland (Underground Fortress) 15 pts Fort Erie, Ontario (First Rate Naval Fort) 30 pts Fort Pelee, Ontario (Second Rate Naval Fort) 20 pts Fort Goulais, Ontario (Second Rate Naval Fort) 20 pts Fort Michipicoten, Ontario (Second Rate Naval Fort) 20 pts Fort Monmouth, Delaware (First Rate Naval Fort) 30 pts Fort Porter, South Vinland (First Rate Naval Fort) 30 pts Fort Sherman, Panama (First Rate Naval Fort) 30 pts Navy Though the UIS has a proud naval tradition, in the face of borders with the UR and the Acadians, the Navy has not gotten as much attention as the army has in the past 100 years. Though the UIS would never let their navy wither and die. While the Army was fighting on land in the War of '98, it was the Navy that was busily keeping the Bourbons from reinforcing their Caribbean colonies. Great Lakes Fleet 255 pts 1 Battleship 30 pts. 1 Armored Cruisers 25 pts. 4 Light Cruisers 40 pts. 16 Destroyers 96 pts. 32 Coastal Torpedo Boats 64 pts Atlantic Fleet 582 pts 2 Dreadnoughts 80 pts 1 Battlecruiser 35 pts 4 Battleships 120 pts 6 Armored Cruisers 150 pts 8 Light Cruisers 80 pts 5 Submarines 45 pts 12 Destroyers 72 pts Caribbean Fleet 362 pts. 1 Dreadnought 40 pts 2 Battleships 60 pts 3 Armored Cruisers 75 pts 6 Light Cruisers 60 pts 5 Submarines 45 pts 10 Destroyers 60 pts 11 Coastal Torpedo Boats 22 pts